‘Drunken’ cop shot dead

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — Too much alcohol can be fatal.

This was proven yesterday when a rural policeman here was peppered with bullets by a colleague after reporting to their station allegedly in a state of extreme drunkenness.

Cagayan Valley police director Chief Supt. Dominador Resos Jr. identified the fatality as SPO1 Leonardo Asco and the suspect as SPO1 Fernando Simangan, both assigned in Rizal town police office, about 40 kilometers west of here.

According to police investigation, Asco, who was off-duty at the time, went to the police station at around 10 p.m. Thursday in extreme drunkenness, shouting and raring for a fight. He even fired his 9-mm service pistol four times in the air and broke some bottles.

When he entered the station, Asco ordered four bottles of Red Horse beer and demanded that those on duty drink with him. When he aimed his gun at Simangan and taunted him, the latter retaliated by peppering him with bullets from his service M16 Armalite rifle.

Asco died on the spot after sustaining eight gunshot wounds in different parts of the body. Aside from the eight M16 empty shells, police also recovered, four empty shells from the 9-mm pistol which was used by the victim when he fired his gun in the air. The suspect surrendered immediately to his superior officer after the incident. He is now in the custody of Superintendent Ricardo Padilla, Cagayan police director.

Simangan said he only acted in self-defense after the victim aimed his gun at him and taunted him. — Charlie Lagasca